Yesterday, during the Higher Chinese Exam invigilation, I was completely stumped by a student. He asked for a 订书机.

My reaction: Blink, blink, blink. Huh? What on earth is that? If you don't know what's that, don't worry, you've got company! (The answer is found at the end of this post.)

This incident reminded me of my Business Chinese class I attended in university. Don’t ask me why I took up that module. I must be out of my mind when I applied for it. My answers would usually throw the class and the tutor into fits of laughter, and half the time I didn’t understand the sarcasms of the tutor which consisted of Chinese idioms that I had never heard before.

Determined to prove myself, I studied real hard for the exam. I got a B! Though I didn't get an A, it was quite an achievement for me. I bet my tutor must be pretty surprised that I could even pass the exam.

So my dear students, if you put your heart and mind into doing something, I’m sure you can do well too. Study hard for your coming exams! Remember to take good care of your health too, don’t fall ill.